The other idea is that Frank is busting Vinnie chops and that Vinnie is "Steve Gadd's clone flown in at triple scale no less" but can't find the beat. Also a jab at the studio guys (and audience?) in that "anybody that buys this album doesn't care if there are good musicians on it"?

It makes sense to a degree.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KzSgDrummer

And as to what regard Zappa held Gadd in, who the heck knows... he makes no intonation one way or the other on Green Rosetta. My guess is that Frank had nothing against Steve musically or personally, except for the fact that he was literally all over the place at the time and thus was an easy target for any kind of jabs, good or bad.

But I haven't heard any spins on Frank's views on this topic either way, so please divulge--

But does this make Gadd an influence or is it simply someone that he went to see at a gig with Steve Smith? I'm not sure. I could go and see Virgil Donati, be impressed with his playing beyond belief, but he'll never be much of a drumming influence for me. Maybe he simply dug the band as a whole and not simply Gadd?

Everyone likes to compare Vinnie to Gadd and it often seems like Vinnie wants to distance himself from the comparison. Maybe that was the meaning in the original comment? Who knows.

Quote:

Originally Posted by KzSgDrummer

On the first part, I know Vinnie was digging Gadd by 1978 (at the beginning of his time with Zappa), because if you watch the video clips jonescrusher posted above, you can see Vinnie is wearing a Stuff t-shirt, which was Gadd's defacto NYC club band back then. So he definitely knew of and was seriously checking out Gadd's work back then..